Loose-leaf binder of the flexible-thong type



1 June 24, 1930.

P. c:.- e. LAKE 4 1,767,381

LOOSE LEAF BINDER OF THE FLEXIBLE THONG TYPE Filed 'ii t. 12, 1928 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

June 24, 1930. P. c. G. LAKE 5 ,38

LOOSE LEAF BINDER OF THE FLEXIBLE THONG TYPE Filed Sept. 12, 1 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24,1939

* UNITED stares .PERCY CHARLES GIDLEY LAKE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND .LOOSEJiEAF BINDER OF THE FLEXIBLE-THQNGTYPE Amman. filed September 12, 1928, SerialNo. 305,529, anain Great ai ing-Ima 1927'.

his invention relates to loose-leaf binders of the flexible thong type in which thongs are fixed to one side or cover member of the binder and are attached at their free ends to a cross bar carried by the otherside or cover member of the binder, suitable clamping bars being associated with the thongs and the side or cover members, and positioned between the latter; a ratchet bar being fixed to the crossbar and cooperating with suitably carried pawls, foretlecting the ad justment of the parts and the retention of the said parts in adjusted position.

According to the present invention a piv-' oted spring returned thumb lever is provided on the interior of the slde or cover member wvith which the cross bar is associated, the

' ratchet bar and parts connected thereti said lever carrying a spring pressed adjusting pawl which normally engages with theteeth of the ratchet bar, 'andwhich when the lever is moved in one direction from its neutral or normal position, is adapted to move the 'said' ratchet bar to tighten the thongs.

, A spring operated detentpawl iscarried by the said cover member and isnormally in engagement with the-teethott the "ratchet bar, to hold the said ratchet bar in any ad justed position. r a

The detent pawl is provided with aprojecting bolt or pin andthe thumblever with shaped portionadapted to engage wit-lithe bolt or pin when the lever mover'l from its neutral or normal posit-ion in a di-. rection oppositeto that for tightening the thongs, and inthisinanner the detentj pawl is raised from engagement with the ratchet bar.

A projecting bolt or pin is also'carried the said side or cover member and adapted to engage the adjusting pawl when the; thumb lever is moved in a chrectro11'- .,to free the detent lever. By this "movement also the ad ustmg pawl 1S moved j'from engage ment with the ratchet barj, thus vthe for movement ,as desired. The pivoted thumb lever is notched at its free end and is adapted in the neutral posltion to receive a locking bolt in this notchto hold the lever with the notched bar. A

V Thejpivoted' The clamping bars wh'ich arecovered on the outside with fiberor 'asiinilar substance; are provided with shapeci-metal plates n g which are mounted metal rollers which allowthe thon s to pass over themea'sily and with a minimum of friction.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a plan of binder with the manipulating partof a pivoted thumb leverfshewing through a recess forn'ied in an inside cover of the binder. The clamping barsiare shewn' partly drawntogetheizf A keyhole shewn of a lock which sectu'es the pivoted'thumb lever. v V I v 1 Fig. 2 represents a plan of amel al plate with a metal roller attached, and an elevation of a plate with a metal roller attached,- and .a horizontal view of alplate with metal roller attached.

Fig; 8' represents a plan of a pivoted] thumb lever pressed backward and shewing;

all pawls raised 'outlofaction, to allow free i novement rection.

of the ratchet b i Fig. '4 repr nits-a planet a bincle1-witl1" the outside partof thecoVer removed, sheing the clamping barsfipartly. drawn 101-} U 7 thumb lexj'er is shewn in eon-J necti'on'with twopawls and the ratchet' bar.

. The lock shoe a bolt into a notch in t pivoted thumb lever, and secures fit from i unauthorized use. i f; represents a plan of a 'binder with, i .the outside p a r-tot the cover removed, shewing the .c laniping bars completely drawn to g'ether by'means .o'fpressure from a paw Y e}. ii'ig applied to the ratchet bar, through the manipulation of the pivoted thumb;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one; of the clamping bars and associated devices.

. In the drawings, .6 are the thongs fired at one end to one side member orcover ot' =the binderj and attached att'he other ends to the cross-bar 7. The thongs are associated with the clamping bars 3 fixed to the side or cover members of the binder. The cross-bar 7 carries a ratchet bar 8. 9 is a thumb lever pivoted to the inside of one of the side or cover members of the binder, a spring 3* being employed at the pivot tending to "keep the thumb lever in the neutral position shown in Fig. 4. The thumb lever has pivoted thereto a pawl 1, an extension of the spring 3 keeping the said pawl normally pressed into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bar 8. lVhen in the position shown in Fig. 4 the tail of the pawl l comes into contact with a projecting bolt or pin 4: carried by the side or cover member. r

2 is a spring-controlled pawl pivotally mounted in the side or cover member and normally engaging with the ratchet bar 8. This pawl carries another bolt or pin 4* and the lever 9 has a wedge shaped projection 9 adapted in the neutral position shown in Fig. l to come into contact with this bolt or pin 4 5 is a lock carried by the side or cover member, the bolt of which is adapted to engage in a notch in the free end of the lever 9 when the said leveris in its neutral position shown in Fig. i. 6 is a key hole for the insertion of a key to operate the lock 2 is a recess formed in the inside of the cover of the binder to allow for free manipulation of the pivoted thumb lever 9.

The clamping bars 3 which are covered on the outside with fiber or other similar substance, are provided with metal plates 4 (as shown in Figs. 3 andt) in which are mounted metal rollers 5 which allow the thongs 6 to pass over them easily and with a minimum of friction.

It should'be observed that thespring 3 which is coiled round its pivot is not sufficiently strong to throw the pawl '1 out of engagement with the ratchet bar.

The action will be readily understood. lVhen the lever 9 is in the position shown in Fig. 4,if it is desired to further tighten the thongs 6, the lever is moved to the left. This, by the engagement of the pawl l carries with itthe ratchet bar 8, drawing with it the thongs 6. The ratchet bar S lis held in the position to whichit is adjusted by the detent pawl 2 and the lever 9 is free to be turned by its spring back to the position shown in Fig. 4.

lVhen the lever 9 is moved from its neutral position inthe opposite direction, as shownin Fig. 3,1free movement of the thongs is permitted, as the bolt or pin members t and 4: operate to free the pawls 1 and 2 from the teeth of the ratchet bar 8.

A binder constructed as above described possesses many advantages, chief among which may be mentioned the fact that no keys are necessary in order to expand or contract the binder, and the clamping bars being provided with metal rollers, ensures the easy running of the thongs, and adds to their duration of service, owing to the absence of friction. I

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is z- 1. In a loose leaf binder of the class described, a construction including a cover member,a plurality of :fiexible thongs at tached at one end to said cover member, a cross-bar attached to the other end of the thongs, another cover member, a clamping bar carried by each cover member, the said clamping bars being connected with the flexible thongs,' a ratchet bar carried by the cross-bar, a thumb lever pivotally mounted on the second-mentioned cover member, an adjusting pawl pivotally mounted on the said lever and adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet bar, a detent pawl pivotally mounted'on the said second named cover member and adapted to engage with the teeth of said ratchet bar, bolt means carried by the said second named cover member and adapted to cooperate with the adjusting pawl to raise the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet bar when the thumb lever is in one position, and other bolt means carried-by the detent pawl and adapted to cooperate with the thumb lever to raise the detent pawl out of engagement with said ratchet bar when the thumb lever is in such position.

2-. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 1, in which spring means are associated with the pivot of the thumblever adapted to hold the lever in a neutral position, and in which the bolts controlling the adjusting and detent pawls are so positioned that a movement of the thumb lever in one direction simultaneously raises both pawls from engagement with the ratchet bar, while a movement in the reverse direction causes the adjusting pawl operatively to engage and move the said ratchet bar, leaving the detent pawl in engagement with the teeth thereof. v

5. A loose lea-f binder as claimed in claim 1, in which the clamping bars are provided with metal plates carrying metal rollers.

t. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 1, in which the pivoted thumb lever is notched at its free end, the said notch being adapted to receive the bolt of asecuring lock. I

In witness whereof I atlix my signature.

PERcY CHARLES GIDLEY LAKE. 

